Eden Energy Limited

Australia's increasing know-how with micro-sized carbon products appears set to revolutionise the worldwide use of concrete for load-bearing applications to make it a stronger, lighter, cheaper and more environmentally friendly component of major construction works.

This potential follows successful new trials by the United States-based operational arm of Australia's ASX- listed Eden Energy Limited (ASX: "EDE") on combining cement with specific carbon products.

The results, Eden says, while early days, point to major gains for construction by reducing the volume of concrete needed in walls, pillars and support columns.

The gains in compressive strength and reduction in volume are matched by reductions in weight, potentially making the carbon-cement pairing ideal for the popular "tilt up" style of wall construction on commercial buildings - while simultaneously reducing the load on footings.

Eden says the other indirect benefits from the process include greater usable floorspace from thinner walls and columns and significant green credits, as cement manufacture is a heavy producer of carbon dioxide.

The initial trials - completed this month after a 28 day test period by Eden at its United States laboratories in Colorado - added miniscule amounts (just 0.1% by weight) of the Company's carbon nanofibres, to cement used in concrete production.
The results include up to a 19% gain in the concrete's compressive strength¹ and similar percentage reduction in the weight, whilst suffering no loss in the concrete's flexural strength².

Eden announced the results, with the trials ongoing at Colorado.

The Company has to date tested the use of both multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and carbon nanofibres (CNF) in cement trials.
It is also looking at applying the same approach to plastics and rubber to try and achieve both strength and electrical and thermal conductivity gains, and, at the same time, reducing the amount of plastic and rubber that is consumed.